Shimla: An Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer posted in Shimla is on the run after a series of searches conducted by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at locations linked to him. The CBI found a huge amount of money, including Rs 54 lakh in bribes, allegedly accepted by the officer, according to CBI officials.
The officer in question is an assistant director with the ED. His brother, a manager at a public sector bank in Delhi, has been arrested in connection with the case.
Investigation linked to PMLA case
The investigation centers around a three-year-old Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case that was being handled by the ED officer. The CBI claims that the officer and his brother were involved in accepting bribes related to this case.
On Sunday, the CBI seized the bribe amount of Rs 54 lakh and recovered a car in which the officer had allegedly escaped. Searches were also carried out at the ED officer’s residence and the office in Shimla, leading to the discovery of an additional Rs 56.50 lakh. So far, the total amount seized stands at Rs 1.01 crore, as reported by Indian Express.
An FIR has been filed at the CBI office in Chandigarh under section 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The ED officer’s brother was produced in a Chandigarh court and was sent to CBI custody for further questioning.
Investigation underway
The investigation is underway and CBI officials are still searching for the ED officer, who was not found at either his residence or office during the searches. Additionally, a middleman, believed to have facilitated the bribes for the ED officer, is also absconding.
A senior officer from the CBI in Shimla confirmed that a team from Chandigarh assisted in the searches in Shimla, where documents from the ED office were taken for further analysis.
